Buck Moon Pack Hike with Real Pet Food

Pack Hike during a Full Moon? Yes Please

Saw this invite on Real Pet Food and after reading their event invite we were excited to go. As a active person and dog lover, I look for social gatherings where I can bring my dog. But I don’t randomly attend every single event. I don’t like dog parks. I prefer to socialize my dogs with engaged dog owners. Instead of summarizing their invite – I’ve copied it below so you can read through it yourself.

Few activities promote an active and healthy lifestyle for both dog and owner better than hiking. Combine it with other dogs, other owners, a full moon, and a little champagne, and you’ve got yourself a doggone good time! So come join us for a pack hike up Black Mountain on what will most certainly be a beautiful Sunday evening. All are welcome, regardless of whether you’re an owner or not, so please, there’s no need to steal someone else’s dog in order to attend. Politefully borrowing a dog is alright though!

Prior to the actual hike, REAL PET FOOD and members of the #feedreal community will be hosting a Short Leash Social for all dog lovers starting at 6:30pm, so come early if you want to socialize with others, sample some amazing treats and chews, and learn about essential items for hiking with your dog. In addition, a professional trainer will be present to provide basic tips and tricks for handling your dog – and maybe unruly children – outdoors so, whether you have a Lassie, a Cujo, or a red-headed problem child, we encourage you to come for some free pointers! (more on this below) Few activities promote an active and healthy lifestyle for both dog and owner better than hiking.

Combine it with other dogs, other owners, a full moon, and a little champagne, and you’ve got yourself a doggone good time! So come join us for a pack hike up Black Mountain on what will most certainly be a beautiful Sunday evening. All are welcome, regardless of whether you’re an owner or not, so please, there’s no need to steal someone else’s dog in order to attend. Politefully borrowing a dog is alright though!

At around 7:45pm we’ll hit the trail, at which point participants will choose between ascending the moderately challenging Nighthawk Trail to the top of Black Mountain or joining Ranger Kerry from the Black Mountain Ranger District on the more casual Little Black Loop Trail, where the topics of discussion will include astronomy, local geology, and Native American legends. The choice is yours!

Essential gear for all human participants includes hiking shoes/boots, water, a flashlight or headlamp, and – if you get cold easily – a jacket or warming layer of some sort. In the spirit of past Adventurtainment hikes, glow stick swag will be provided for everyone (dog and human) and – as always – we will be doing a champagne toast at the top, so if you’ve got room in your pack, bring a bottle to pop!

DOG OWNERS: All dogs are welcome, regardless of aggression level, as we will be taking extra precautions to make all canine interactions positive. This includes giving all participating dogs either a green or yellow bandana – along with corresponding glow stick necklaces – to indicate a dog’s aggression level so that owners can take appropriate measures during the event to encourage positive interaction between their pups. As was mentioned above, a professional trainer will be present to provide basic tips on improving the social behavior of dogs with more aggressive tendencies, so if your beast falls into this category, we encourage you to at least come for the Short Leash Social at 6:30pm and give your furry friend a chance to work on their social skills!

DOG RULES: At a minimum, all dogs must remain leashed and have their own waste bags, water, and water dish. While we’re very aware that many dogs do just fine running off leash on the trail with their owners, this will not be permitted (no exceptions) due to the anticipated presence of a decent number of dogs, including some that will be making a legitimate effort to improve their social skills, so please respect our wishes and, if anything, use this event as an opportunity to work with your own dog a bit!

At around 7:45pm we’ll hit the trail, at which point participants will choose between ascending the moderately challenging Nighthawk Trail to the top of Black Mountain or joining Ranger Kerry from the Black Mountain Ranger District on the more casual Little Black Loop Trail, where the topics of discussion will include astronomy, local geology, and Native American legends. The choice is yours!

Essential gear for all human participants includes hiking shoes/boots, water, a flashlight or headlamp, and – if you get cold easily – a jacket or warming layer of some sort. In the spirit of past Adventurtainment hikes, glow stick swag will be provided for everyone (dog and human) and – as always – we will be doing a champagne toast at the top, so if you’ve got room in your pack, bring a bottle to pop!

DOG OWNERS: All dogs are welcome, regardless of aggression level, as we will be taking extra precautions to make all canine interactions positive. This includes giving all participating dogs either a green or yellow bandana – along with corresponding glow stick necklaces – to indicate a dog’s aggression level so that owners can take appropriate measures during the event to encourage positive interaction between their pups. As was mentioned above, a professional trainer will be present to provide basic tips on improving the social behavior of dogs with more aggressive tendencies, so if your beast falls into this category, we encourage you to at least come for the Short Leash Social at 6:30pm and give your furry friend a chance to work on their social skills!

DOG RULES: At a minimum, all dogs must remain leashed and have their own waste bags, water, and water dish. While we’re very aware that many dogs do just fine running off leash on the trail with their owners, this will not be permitted (no exceptions) due to the anticipated presence of a decent number of dogs, including some that will be making a legitimate effort to improve their social skills, so please respect our wishes and, if anything, use this event as an opportunity to work with your own dog a bit!

Photos from the social hour prior to the event are below.

The event was a huge success. Favorite part was meeting other dog lovers, the beautiful moon lit trail and the champagne toast at the top. Join us for the next hike on August 6. Details found HERE.[/title]